QUDRA 2 is a regional project co-financed by the European Union, through the EU Regional Trust Fund. In response to the Syrian refugee crisis, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) seek to strengthen the resilience of Syrian refugees, IDPs, returnees, and host communities in response to the protracted Syrian and Iraqi crises.

Supported by QUDRA 2, EFE- Jordan is training beneficiaries in skills such as garment-making, retail, and confectioneries through series of workshops; these are aimed at improving the participants' soft skills, entrepreneurship acumen, and understanding of safety protocols.

What do the alumni have to say about EFE- Jordan's programs? Hear from Rahma and Majdoleen, two alumni of the garment-making program!

In 2013, the Syrian sisters of 20 and 29 fled to Jordan as the situation in their homeland became unsafe.

Despite hardships, both of them were determined to build a new life for their family. They realized that stability only comes with secure work; so began their search for job and training opportunities.

Majdoleen had graduated with a diploma in Pharmacy, but unfortunately, she couldn’t find a job in this field because jobs in the pharmaceuticals sector were only available to Jordanian nationals by law.

The sisters both discovered and enrolled in EFE- Jordan's garment-making training. Majdoleen had was excited to work in the field of garments and had bought a sewing machine but didn’t have the required skills to start working. “I always loved sewing and fixing clothes. And this was a suitable career option because I could work from home, which is safer and more comfortable for me,” she said.

“The training was very useful and also worked as a fun getaway from the Covid-19 lockdown. More importantly, we learned many things regarding the soft and hard skills necessary in the garment field, which I previously had no knowledge of; now I can now work on a sewing machine properly and I will use my knowledge to pursue employment in this field.” Rahma said,

After the training ended, the sisters continued to improve their skills and began to work from home to generate an income. They have a number of loyal clients and continue to grow their business every day.

Majdoleen: “I benefited so much from this experience. Before, I was too intimidated to work on a sewing machine at all. I learned all of this now, how to draw a pattern and how to sew a straight stitch. I’m very proud of my newfound skills, and I intend to continue in this field.”

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